We have SO many dragonflies in our yard & I think it is because of not only all my flowers but also the small fish pond where they lay their eggs .. lots of their larvae (?) in the pond in summer. An area near Roswell, NM (Bitter Lakes?) is famous I believe for the number of different varieties of the dragonflies that are there. I'm not really sure of the different varieties, but the ones in our yard seem to be mostly a golden/orange color here in Albuquerque, NM Are fascinating, aren't they?!

Male Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longepennis)?

Hurray, Sophie wins a cupie doll! I've never seen one either until now. This one's the female with perpendicular, longer anal appendages, whereas the male has shorter ones shaped in a v in order to clasp the female's head during mating or in tandem, hence the name claspers.

Comettose, thanks ever so for that link! My dial-up is taking forever to load all those pics, but it'll be worth it. I'm pretty sure it's not a pennant or a pondhawk. I think it's a clubtail. Or forcepstail maybe? Day, I wish I could remember all the dragonflies as well as I remember the butterflies. OK, I don't do as well as I'd like on the butterflies, either, but they are easier than d'flies. 'Specially after I haven't seen any in such a long time. And I can't find my d'fly book... must be packed somewhere. >8\ ICA, Sophie ^i^